1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to constructions for supporting objects capable of being wound off a holding device, and more particularly to support structures for preventing a roll of paper towels from being inadvertently pulled off a paper towel holder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common problem encountered during the unwinding of rolled articles is the inadvertent disconnection of the rolled article from its holder. For instance, a roll of paper towels, typically 11 inches in length, is commonly supported between a pair of opposing side arms that extend from a base member. The base member is often mounted underneath a kitchen cabinet or the like. Each side arm is typically provided with a cylindrical bearing member which is axially inserted within the core of the roll of paper towels. The core is typically a hollow tubular member made of cardboard about which the paper towels are rolled. The cylindrical bearing members are usually biased towards the center of the paper towels by the inherent elastic properties of the material of which the side arms and base are made. The side arms must be deflected outwardly and spread apart in order to allow the cylindrical bearing members to be inserted within the ends of a paper towel roll. Once inserted the side arms try to return to their relaxed position and thus they grasp the paper towel roll.
After mounting a roll of paper towels as described above, the paper towels can be unwound at the user's discretion. Generally speaking, the amount of axial force exerted by the side arms is sufficient to prevent the roll of paper towels from being pulled off the holder when the towels are being unwound. However, to tear off a sheet of paper a relatively strong force must be exerted to separate the perforation between two sheets. This force is usually exerted axially along the perforation and often times deflects the side arms sufficiently to dislodge the paper roll from the holder. To stabilize the paper towel holder, the user typically places one hand on the roll of paper towels while simultaneously tearing a sheet off with the other hand. This helps assure that the side arms do not deflect outwardly when the axial force is applied. However, often times the user will have two wet hands, or one hand will be unavailable for supporting the roll of paper towels. In this situation, the sudden force applied to break the perforation often leads to the roll being jerked off the holder because one side arm is deflected far enough to withdraw the bearing member from the core of the paper roll. This type of mishap often results in the waste of some paper towels, and causes frustration to the user because the paper towels must be remounted.
Another reason why paper rolls may become disconnected from their holder is that the cylindrical bearing members of some holders do not extend far enough into the core of a paper roll. If the bearing members do not penetrate deep enough axially, then even a force applied perpendicularly to the axis of the core when unwinding the paper roll may dislodge the roll from its holder. For example, if a user needs several sheets of paper towels, a sudden force will be applied to unwind the desired number of sheets. This forward force may pull the ends of the paper roll over the bearing members, causing the side arms to deflect outwardly. The outward deflection will most likely cause the paper roll to fall from the holder.
An exemplary paper towel holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,964, issued to H. D. Lawson on Aug. 4, 1936, and incorporated herein by reference. This holder includes a pair of side arms pivotally mounted upon a base. Each side arm includes a bearing member which can be axially inserted within a roll of paper towels. A flat spring plate is arranged between each side arm and the base to bias the side arms inwardly. This is the type of holder which is susceptible to the problems described above.
Many paper roll holder designs employ a spindle that is inserted within the core of the paper towels, or often times toilet tissue, which spans the distance between the members supporting the spindle. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,653, issued to E. F. Carlisle on Jan. 9, 1968, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a quick change roller that utilizes a two-piece telescoping spindle to support a roll of toilet tissue between two side arms. The spindle has a spring placed therein that exerts compressional forces against the side arms to support the roll. Each end of the spindle includes s stub-shaft which is receivable within a bearing of the side arms.
Two patents similar to Carlisle, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,117,342 and 2,801,809, issued to Currie and Glaner, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference, disclose paper roll holders that employ spring-loaded spindles to support a roll between two side arms. Each end of the spindles has a trunnion for inserting within an aperture of the side arms to support the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,947, issued to Hidle on Aug. 20, 1985, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a paper towel insert and dispenser specifically designed to overcome the problem of paper rolls becoming disconnected from their holder as discussed above. This is accomplished by supplying a holder that includes at least one support tube insert that increases the axial penetration of the support cylinders within the core of the paper roll. Each support tube insert can be axially translated between an extended position and a retracted position. The inserts need to be retracted in order to mount a paper roll upon the support cylinders. Once the paper roll is mounted, the inserts are translated to their extended position to provide the necessary increase in axial penetration. Each support tube insert includes a locking bar that is attached to a finger grasp bar for locking the inserts in their extended position. One disadvantage of this embodiment is that it includes working parts that are subject to fatigue and may eventually need replacement. Also, these axial inserts can only be used with paper towel holders specifically designed to accommodate them. Paper towel holders such as that disclosed in Lawson above are not readily adaptable for use with this type of insert.
Thus, there still exists a need for a simple and economical construction that can be used with current paper towel holders to help assure that the paper towels will not be inadvertently jerked from the holder.